Apperances Can Be Deceiving
by Evil-Gwen
Summary: COMPLETE! Something is wrong with Hamilton, does it have to do with the visitors?-Young Americans/X-Men...Please R
1. Discoveries

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Shows:  Young Americans & X-Men Evolution (sort of, I played with some things)

Disclaimer:  I don't any of the characters, just the plot.

Summary:  Something is wrong with Hamilton and he can't figure out why.  Ryder is also going through something weird.  Are their problems connected to Dean Fleming's visitors?

PG-13

No spoilers, unless you've never seen Young Americans.

Chapter 1:  Discoveries

          Hamilton was getting ready for the first day of the fall semester.  After the group had parted, he went to his father to ask him to let Will come back.  His father told him that it was Will's grades that saved him.  Then Ham called Scout's cell phone to surprise his no longer bummed out friend.  Next he visited Jake in New York.  The two spent two wonderful weeks together.  On his way home, he stopped to see Bella, some mysterious patron had bought the garage and put it in Bella's name.  Ham and Bella called Scout to thank him; he tried to say it wasn't him.  But Bella wasn't fooled.  A few days later when Donna came to collect her money, she was shocked to find the garage still standing.  She stopped in and told Bella the truth about who her father really was.  For Hamilton it was the best summer ever and he knew it was just the beginning.

          As he stepped into the shower, he wondered what was going to happen this semester.  Were they going to have an even better adventure?  He hoped so.  He leaned against the wall and let the hot water pour down him.  He raised his hands to his face, but he couldn't see his face.  All he saw was the wall in front of his face.  "What the hell?"  He whispered. He was facing curtains, but where his hands should be was the titled wall.  He put his hands down and saw the curtain.  Then he looked down, his body was gone, and all he could see was the wall.  As he stepped away from the wall, his body reappeared.

"I gotta be dreaming."  He said, as he turned on the cold water, hoping it would wake him up.

          Meanwhile in New York at Xavier's School for the Gifted, Professor Charles Xavier sits at Ceribro.  A moment later, he takes the helmet off.  Kitty walks through the wall, but when she realizes she made a wrong turn she tries to sneak out.

"Morning, Kitty."

She jumps, "morning, Professor."

Suddenly Kurt pops in, "morning, Professor."

Xavier turns around and smiles.  "Good morning, Kurt.  Can you two gather everyone together for breakfast?  I have an important announcement." 

"Sure."  They both replied and disappeared.

          About ten minutes later everyone is gathered for breakfast.  Scott is the first one to speak.  "What's up, Professor?"

Xavier wipes his mouth.  "I've detected two new mutants is Massachusetts." 

"Where exactly?"  Jean asked.

"A prep school in a small town, near Boston."

 "Come on, Professor, the suspense is killing us."  Kitty whined.

Xavier smiled, "Rawley Academy in New Rawley.  I want to bring a small group, so the question is: who wants to stay?"  

"I'll stay."  Ororo said.

"Me too."  Logan added.

"No one else?"  ((Silence))  "I expected as much, pack your bags."

Rogue, Kitty, and Kurt raced off as Remy, Scott and Jean got up more slowly.

          Hamilton waited in Jake's room for her.  At about one the door opened, Jake, who had about three bags, didn't notice Ham until she closed the door.  She dropped her bags, as she turned around.  

"Munchie!"  She cried as she jumped on him, and they kissed.  After five minutes of kissing he put her down.  "God, I missed you."  She said.

"Me, too."

There was a knock at the door, Jake opened it find Will and Scout.

"Hey, welcome back, Will."   Jake said.

"Thanks to Ham."  Will replied.

"Actually my dad readmitted you before I asked."

"Really?  Great."

"Bella got the garage back thanks to Scout."  Ham announced.

"Really?"  Jake asked, turning to Scout.

"Yup."  Will said.

"That's great!  We should go visit her." Jake said.

          Meanwhile, Kitty walked up to Xavier.  "Uh, Professor, what kind of school is it?"

Xavier smiled.  'Teenagers,' he thought.  "A boys prep school, although through some research I discovered that there is a girl school, too."

Kitty smiled and ran through the wall.  Rogue was waiting outside the room.  "So?"

"Boys school."  The two smiled and raced off to get packed.  Inside his office, Xavier was calling the dean of the school.  

          Hamilton stopped home to leave a message that he wouldn't be home for dinner, as his mother had planned.

"Munchie?"  His mother called.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to be home tomorrow morning, to greet some of your father's visitors."

"Ok, I'll be here, bye."

          That night the group met at the diner.  When Bella and Sean walked in everyone cheered.  They sat down and ordered.

"So, Jake, you're still at Rawley?"  Bella asked.

"They haven't kicked me out yet."  Jake said, smiling.

A waitress gave out their drinks.

"A toast," Will said.  "To a new adventure and where ever this semester will lead us."

Bella and Jake giggled, as they all clinked glasses.

"To Scout."  Bella said.  

"Scout," everyone said, as they clinked their glasses again and took a sip.

"Well, I know you said not to help, but I had to."  Scout said to Bella.

"Thank you for not listening to me."  Bella wanted to Scout the truth, but she wanted to wait until they were alone.

          As Ham put his glass down, he looked at his lap, which was starting to change into the color of the booth. He shifted his position and moved closer to Jake.  As he did that his lap changed back.  

"Yo, Ham!"  Will said.

"Huh?"

"I said, are you in Finn's class again?"

"Oh, uh, yeah."

"Thinking about something else?"  Sean asked.

"Or someone else?"  Scout suggested.

Jake was sitting next to Scout; hit the back of his head playfully.

"Actually, my dad's having some visitors tomorrow and I think I'll have to give them a tour."

"Have fun." Sean said.

"Hey, at least you'll get out of class."  Scout said.

"Yeah, at least."

"Well, hey I'll join you after my classes, if you want?"  Jake said.

"Okay."

Scout smiled at Jake and arched his eyebrows at her.  Which earned him another slap.

"Alright enough of abusing Scout."  He said in his own defense.  Suddenly he jerked away from the table.  "Who just touched my knee?"

Jake smiled, and Will laughed.  Which got everyone laughing, even Scout.


	2. The Tour

New Disclaimer:  I also don't own CNN; I just needed a familiar news channel.    

Feedback: I know I didn't make any note of it before, but I'm new to this site.  So I'd love to know what you think: good or bad, trust me I won't be insulted.  Criticism is the best compliment.

Chapter 2:  The Tour

        Ham woke up the next morning at ten in his parent's house.  He took a shower and changed without any problems.  He was ready by 10:20, with five minutes to spare before the visitors were scheduled to arrive.  He tried to brush his hair, but gave up knowing it would look messy again in an hour.  He gave up and went downstairs.  The stairs led into the kitchen, there he opened the fridge, and took a sip from the orange juice carton.  He then grabbed an apple, washed it and took a bite as he headed for the parlor.  As he walked in he heard voices coming from the front door.

"Hello, I'm Professor Xavier."

"Hello, Professor, I'm Dean Fleming, please come in."

"I hope you don't mind I brought some of my students with me."

"Oh, no, that's quite alright."

        As they walked in, Ham took note of how many walked in.  There was the professor, three boys, and three girls.  He left the parlor for the kitchen and trashed the apple core.  He wiped his mouth on a dishtowel and walked back into the now crowded parlor.

"Ah, Hamilton, there you are."  Ham looked up at his father and smiled.  He looked around at the new faces.  He father continued, "Professor, this is my son, Hamilton."

"Hi."  Ham said looking down at the bald man in the motorized wheel chair.  

"Hello, Hamilton, these are my students: Jean, Scott, Remy, Kitty, Kurt, and Rogue."

"Students?"  Ham asked.

"I run a school, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Manchester, NY."

"Oh," Ham was a little confused, none of them looked exceptionally smart.

        A few minutes later, ham found himself assigned to give the visitors a tour of the campus.  He also noticed Kitty and Rogue giving him flirtatious looks.  First he took them to the dorms.  Not many kids were around since it was second period.  He led them to the common room and out to the green.  Where a senior English class was in progress.  The professor paused for a minute to hear the lesson and Ham saw Ryder giving Rogue a flirty smile.  She smiled back.  Ham continued with the tour, at twelve he took them back to the house for lunch.  He told Jake the night before to join them for lunch when her math class was done.  He was in the kitchen helping his mom, so he didn't hear the knock at the front door.  Remy happened to walk by the door on the second knock, so he opened the door.  On the doorstep stood Jake.

"Hi, you must be one of Dean Fleming's visitors.  I'm Jake."  She extended her hand to shake his.  

As Remy said, "of course you are, Sheri."  He turned her hand over and kissed it.

Jake pulled her hand away in surprise.

"Hey, Jake."  She looked up to see Hamilton.  He walked passed Remy to Hamilton, who led her up to his room.  She could see the jealousy in his eyes; he had seen everything.  She sat down on his bed.  "What was that?"  Hamilton exploded.

"Hey, all I did was introduce myself, and hold out my hand for him to shake.  He's the one that called me Sheri and kissed my hand."

"Sorry."

"Besides he's not my type."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah.  So who are they?"

"Students of Professor Xavier.  He has a school called Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

"Smart kids, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess.  We should get downstairs for lunch."

They arrived in the dining room to find everyone already seated.  Ham and Jake sat down between Mrs. Fleming and Kurt.

"Uh, Professor, this is my friend, Jake.  Jake, this is Professor Xavier."  Ham introduced them.

"Hello."  Jake said.

"Hello, Jake, these are some of my students," Xavier introduced the kids to Jake.

        After lunch while the Professor and Dean talked Ham and Jake took the rest on a tour of the Rawley Girls. 

"Hey, Ham, hey, Jake."  They looked up to see Lena walking toward them.

"Hey," the two replied.

Remy stepped up to her.  "Hello, Sheri."  He picked up her hand and kissed it.  Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Oh, hello."  Lena blushed, as she slipped her hand out of his.  "Hey, guys who are your friends?"

"Lena, that Remy," Ham continued with the introductions.

Lena looked up at Remy.  "You don't sound like you're from New York."

"Not me, I was born and bred in good ol' New Orleans."

"I thought so, you're accent gives it all away."

"That's me good ol' Cajon style."

Scott coughed.   

"So how long are you going to be at Rawley?"

"Only for a few days."

"Oh, well, I have to get to class, but maybe I'll see you around."

"Maybe."

The group watched Lena walk away.

"Okay, so where to next?"  Jean asked.

Jake led them down to the lake.

        Meanwhile Professor Xavier was explaining to Dean Fleming the nature of their visit.

"So, Charles, how big is your school?"

"I have about a hundred students."

"Pretty exclusive."

"You could say that.  My students need a certain quality to enter my school."

"Quality, how high are their GPA's?"

Xavier shook his head.  "Have you ever heard of the X-gene?"

"The mutant chromosome, yeah, they're having that hearing on CNN. Oh, wait, you're that professor?"  

"Yes."

"You know I really admire what you're doing.  So those students, are they?"

"Yes, they're mutants."

"Wow, so what are you doing here, Charles?"

"I can sense mutant activity and I believe two of your students have the x-gene."

"Do you know who?"

"No, but if I find out soon, I would like for them to come to my school."

"Well, we would have to contact the parents."

"Of course."

"Well, it's almost five o'clock, do you have somewhere to stay for the night?"

"Not yet, do you know of any good places in town?"  
"I have a better idea."

        Two hours later, Ham found himself unlocking three dorm rooms, one for the boys, girls in another, and Xavier in the last.

"There are two bathrooms on this floor one on either end of the floor.  You girls can use the one down there."  Ham said pointing past the stairs.

Xavier thanked him, said goodnight, and wheeled into his room, closing the door behind him. 

"Hey, Ham!"  Ham turned around and say Will and Scout headed toward him.

"Hey, guys."

"Who are you're friends?"  Scout asked.

"Uh, this is Scott, Remy, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue.  Guys this is Will and Scout."

Everyone said their hellos and then Scott, Remy, and Jean excused themselves.  Heading toward the comfortable beds.

"So are we going to the diner?"  Will asked. 

"Yeah, I guess."  Jake replied.

"Would you three want to come?"  Scout asked.

"Yeah, okay."  Kurt replied.

"We should tell the professor."  Kitty said looking at Kurt.

So Kurt told Xavier and then followed the Rawley boys out.

        Out in the parking lot, Scout showed them his new car.

"2001 Aztec?"  Jake asked.

"My mom's idea of a great birthday present."  Scout replied. 

"Hey at least you have wheels."  Will said.

Jake and Ham took her bike as the rest piled into Scout's car.

        At the diner they sat with Bella and Sean.

"Who's this?"  Bella asked, as they sat down.

"Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue, this is Bella and Sean."  Jake introduced.

"So what's this like a class trip to Rawley Academy?"  Sean asked.

"Something like that."  Kitty replied. 

"You guys don't go to Rawley, do you?"  Rogue asked.

"No, we're…" Sean started, but Bella cut him off.

"Townies."

"Thanks."  Sean glared at her.

"You're welcome," she said smiling.  

"So you're not a fan of the school?"  Kitty asked.

"Nope, but we hang with these snobs anyway."  Bella told her.

"And the former townie," Sean added.

Will raised his index finger.

"So why come to Rawley?"  Sean asked.

"Professor's idea."  Kurt blurted out.

"Professor?"  Bella asked.

"Our teacher and the founder of the school, Professor Charles Xavier."  Kitty replied, glaring at Kurt.

Ham could see the confusion on Bella and Sean's faces.  "Xavier runs Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

"Oh, smart kids."  Sean said.

"Yeah, you could say that."  Rogue said.

Ham looked down at his plate of fries in time to see his lap blending into the bench.  He shifted and his lap reappeared.  He looked up to see Kitty looking at him.

"Wait, a minute!"  Sean exclaimed suddenly.  "That name Xavier sounds familiar.  Was he on TV?"

"He's an activist."  Rogue said.

"Of what?"  Bella asked. 

"Have you ever heard of the x-gene?"  Rogue asked.

"Oh, I heard of this."  Will burst out.

"The mutant gene."  Jake said quietly.

"Yes."  Kitty said.

"So does that mean…" Will started to ask.

"He's just an activist."  Scout cut in.  "That doesn't mean that he is one."

"Is he?"  Ham asked.

"It's not really my place to say."  Kitty replied.

"We should go back."  Rogue announced.

"Good idea," Ham agreed.  At that the group parted, and headed toward their vehicles.

A large figure stood in the shadows watching.  "So Xavier, you've found some mutants here.  Well, maybe I'll recruit them first!"   


	3. Freaking Out

 Chapter 3: Freaking Out

          At 2am Ham sat up in his bed.  He couldn't sleep.  'What if Xavier is here looking for me?  What if I'm a mutant?  If I go with Xavier I may never see Jake again.  And she only stayed around because of me.'  He sat there pondering all that for a while.  He looked down and his right hand was gone.  He pulled it away from the bed and his hand reappeared.  He studied his hand for a minute and then grabbed a red t-shirt off the floor.  He put it on his lap and lad his hand on top of it.  It only took two minutes for his hand to disappear.  When he wiggled his fingers the shirt seemed to ripple, like water.  Ham then got out of bed silently and stood against the wall directly across from a mirror.  After five minutes his whole body faded including his boxers.  He pulled his foot away, the wall looked as though it was stretching outward.  As he stepped forward, his body slowly reappeared.  Jake moaned quietly.  Hoping she wouldn't wake up and see him, Ham slipped back into bed and tried to sleep.

          The next morning, Jean, Kitty, and Rogue walked down the hall to the bathroom Ham told them they could use.  The night before he had put up an Out of Order sign on the door.  So none of the boys would use it while they were in there, and to take it down when they were done.  Kitty took a shower as Jean and Rogue brushed their teeth.

"Why didn't you take a shower last night?"  Jean asked.

"Cause by the time I was ready and you two were done, the baseball game was over and I couldn't get anywhere near here."  Kitty said as she turned the water off.  Except water was running in another shower.

"Hey, guys, I think someone else is in here."  Kitty said, as she quickly changed.   

Rogue spit, "what?"

 Kitty came out of the shower stall wearing jeans and a t-shirt.  Jean's eyes widened.  "Maybe its just Kurt playing a joke."

"I hope so."  Rogue said, as she pocketed her travel toothbrush and put her gloves on.

The water turned off and a minute later a blonde emerged wearing only a towel.  So this is why the bathroom doesn't work."  He spoke in a think British accent.

"So you can read."  Jean spat.

He smiled.  "Yes, so do the bathrooms not work at the girl's school?"

"We're not from the girl's school."  Kitty replied.

"Dean Fleming is letting us stay here for the night, we're from out of town."  Jean said, as she walked out.

"What her problem?  So how far away?"

"Away from what?"  Kitty asked.

"He wants to know where we're from."  Rogue told her. 

"Oh," Kitty said.

"New York," Rogue told him.

"City?"  He asked with interest.

"No, Manchester, NY."  

"Oh."

"So where are you from?"  
"England."

Kitty realized they were flirting and left.  

"Where London?"  She asked, smiling.

"Newcastle, actually."  He smiled back.

"Isn't that where the Beatles are from?"

"No, they're from Liverpool."

"Oh, you're towel is slipping down."   

He looked down, by the time he had it fixed and looking up again she was gone.  He ran out into the hall to catch her, but she was gone.  He looked around and then headed back to his room.  When he saw out of sight, Kitty and Rogue emerged from inside the wall.

"Thanks, Kitty."

"Sure, no problem.  So?"

"What?"

"You like him?"

"Thanks for stating the obvious, but it'll never go anywhere."  Rogue said, as she raised her hands.

"Oh, right, sorry."

"No, it's okay."  They started walking back to them room.

"Oh, I know who the Professor's new mutant is."  Kitty said, excitedly as they entered the room.

"Who?"  Rogue asked, as she closed the door behind them.

Poked her head into the other room.  "Good, they aren't there.  Hamilton."

"Hamilton?  How do you know?"

"Yesterday at the diner, he started to change."

"How?  I didn't notice."

"You weren't sitting right next to him.  His lap disappeared."

"He can become invisible?"

"Maybe, I not really sure, the lighting is kind of bad underneath the table."  Rogue laughed.  "But he was pretty freaked."

"I'll bet.  We should go tell Xavier."

'You already did, girls.'  They heard Xavier's voice in their heads.

"Hello?  Ever hear of privacy?"  Rogue called out.

"So much for a big surprise."  Kitty grumbled.  

A half hour later, they were at the Fleming's for breakfast.  Meanwhile Ham and Jake were walking to Finn's class.

"Are you okay?"  Jake asked.

"Yeah, I'm great, why?"

"You seem really tense."

"Tense, no, just a little stress."

"About?"

"My math test today."

"Liar, you're good in math.  What's really wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you lying about it?"  She asked as they walked up to where the class was gathered.

"Oh, look, we're here."

Jake groaned as she sat next to Will.  

Finn walked up, stopped next to Ham, and knelt down.  "Your father explained your absence, see me after class for the assignment."  He stood up and made his way to the front.

"How many have started the assignment?"  

Jake and ten others raised their hands.

"Truthfully."

Four put their hands down.

"Jake?"

"Finn?"

"What are you writing about?"

"My experiences during the summer and how it changed me."

"Okay, good.  Prose or free verse?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'm stilling playing around with both."

"Good."

Ham glanced down at his lap, slowly his feet faded away.  He switched positions.

"Hamilton, are you okay?"  Finn asked.

"Yeah, there was a bug."

"Well, when you're done would you like to read page 50 for me?"

Ham flipped open his book, slowly his hands faded in to the book.  He dropped it.

"Hamilton!"

"Sorry."  Ham tried again, except he couldn't stop it.  Now his feet and legs blended in with the grass.  Ham jumped up.  "I'm sorry, Finn, I'm sorry."  Ham grabbed his bag and ran.

"Hamilton!"  Finn yelled after him.

But Ham didn't stop he kept running.  Kitty happened to walk by and looked up to see Hamilton coming at her a little too late.  He looked up, just as he ran through her.  He stopped.  "How?  You're?  How?"  He gasped as he turned to face her.

"Hamilton, calm down."

"No."  He looked down and saw his feet disappear.  He turned around and ran.  He didn't stop until he reached his room.  There he closed the door and locked it.  A minute later, Kitty walked through the door.

"Ahh!"  Hamilton yelled.  "What?  How?"

"Hamilton, it's okay, it's me Kitty."

"How did you?"

"Remember the conversation last night?"

"You're…"

"A mutant, it's okay, you can say the word: mutant."

"I, no, I-I can't be."

"Apparently, you are, it's in your genes."

"But…"

"Yeah, my parents are normal too."

"The professor?"

"Yup, him too.  Hamilton, it's okay.  That's why we're here, to help you."  He plopped down onto his bed.  Kitty sat down next to him.  "It's okay, I was freaked out, too.  But Xavier helped me, and now I can control my powers.  He can help you, too."

"Will I have to go to his school?"

"That's your choice."

Suddenly a scream ripped through the quiet hall.

"Who?"  Kitty asked, as she jumped up.

"Sound like (pause) Ryder?"

"Come on."  Kitty grabbed Ham's hand and pulled him through the door.   


	4. Old Friends

Chapter 4: Old Friends

"Wicked."  Ham said, as they emerged from the wall.

"Where's his room?"

"Five down from yours."

Suddenly they heard a popping noise and Kurt appeared.

"Whoa!"  Ham jumped back.

"You heard him, too?"  Kitty asked.

Instead of answering Kurt their hands and transported all three of them to outside of Ryder's room.  "Professor wants us to go in there and help him."  Kurt explained.

Ham tried the door, "locked."

"Not for long."  Kitty walked through the door, but came out a second later.  "I miss calculated how dense the door would be and almost got stuck."

"Huh?"  Ham was confused.

"He pushed his bed in front of the door and I didn't expect that."

"Oh."  Ham knocked on the door.  "Ryder?  It's me, Hamilton, can I come in?"

"Get out of my head!"  Ryder yelled back.

"What?"  Ham asked as he looked at Kurt and Kitty.  

"Professor."  Both answered.

At that moment, Finn walked up.  "Hamilton, why the hell did you run out of class like that?"

Ham sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Hamilton?"  Finn sounded shocked.

Ham looked down to see his body fading into the wall.  Ham groaned and pulled away.  
Ryder yelled again.

"Ryder?"  Finn tried the door.

"Don't bother he is not going to come out."  Finn looked up to see Rogue walking up, followed by Professor Xavier.

"Xavier?"  Finn stared at the professor.

"Bobby?"  Xavier was surprised to see Finn.

"Bobby?"  Ham asked.

"My first name is Robert."  He told him and then turned to Xavier.  "Okay, you found me, now what?"  

"Bobby, I didn't even know you were here."

"You know what, I don't have time for this.  I have a class to teach."  Finn stormed away.  

Xavier turned to Kurt, "can you get in there?"

((Pop))  Kurt was gone.

Kurt looked around in the corner was Ryder with huge bat wings sticking out of his shoulder blades.  Ryder looked up.  "How did you get in here?"

Kurt transported himself a few inches closer to Ryder.  "Ta-da."

Ryder stood up.  "Yeah, well, at least you don't look like freak."

"Wanna bet?"  Kurt touched his watch and his appearance changed.   He became covered in blue fur and he only had three fingers instead of five.

Ryder stepped up to him; Kurt extended his hand.  Ryder felt the fur, "it's real."

"Of course."

Kurt tried to touch Ryder's wing, but his hand went through it.  "But yours isn't."

"What?"

Kurt pushed him in front of the mirror on the wall next to where the bed should be.  "Think about being normal."  Kurt instructed.

Ryder closed his eyes, slowly the wings faded away.  Kurt pushed the button on his watch.  So when Ryder opened his eyes, they both looked normal.

"But how?"

"You're an illusion maker."

"A what?"

"You can create illusions with your mind."

"I'm a freak!"  Ryder exclaimed.

"Yeah, you're like me."

"No, I don't want this.  Leave me alone."

"But…"

"No, just leave me alone!"  Ryder turned away.

((Pop))

          In the hall, Kurt suddenly appeared.

"Kurt?"  The professor asked.

"He can create illusions."  Kurt told them.

"So why was he screaming?"  Ham asked.

"When I went in there, he had huge bat wings coming out of his back."

"But?"  Rogue asked.

"He's freaking."

"We should give him some time."  Xavier said.

Ham looked at the group, and then took off running down the hall.

"Hamilton, wait!"  Kitty started to go after him.

"Kitty, let him go."  Xavier said.  "He needs some time, they both do."

"Who was the other guy?  Bobby?"  Kurt asked.

"He was one of my first students."  Xavier explained.

"I thought Jean, Scott, and Ororo were your first students."  Kitty said.

"Bobby became my student two years before Scott, during the time that Jean came to me.  Why don't we go back to my room and discuss this."

They headed back.

          Ham climbed into the attic of the dormitory and then onto the roof.  He climbed over to the side over looking the lake, and just sat there.  He thought about stuff: Jake, Xavier, and Ryder.  He watched the sun set.  He was about to climb down the way he came, when he looked down and didn't see his body just the roof.  Instead of climbing down through the attic, he went down the other side of the roof.  Luckily the window he wanted was opened.  By holding onto the awning, he swung himself into the room.  Ham landed just inside the window.  He looked around the bed was pushed against the door.  In the corner farthest from him was the owner of the room.  He looked down at the body, which was now back to normal.

"Hey, Ryder."  Ham spoke in a low tone.

Ryder looked up, there were tear tracks on his cheeks.  "What do you want?  And how did you get in here?"

"To talk and the window."

 Ryder got up and looked out the window.  "From where?"

"The roof."

Ryder sat down on the couch.  "So?"

"I know why you're hiding?"

"Really, why?"

Ham pointed to his fading feet.

Ryder stared at him.

"It started the first day of school, and got worse when Xavier showed up."

"You think maybe he caused this."

"Maybe."

"Makes sense."

Suddenly Ham felt weird, like staticy.  He and Ryder looked at each other.  Ryder's door started unlocking it's self.  The bed slid away from the door, and the door flew open.  Standing in the doorway was a man dressed in a blue and silver batman-like outfit, with a helmet.  If Ryder wasn't so freaked, he would have laughed at the stranger's outfit.

"So this is what Xavier is hiding from me."  The man spoke.

"Get out of my room."  Ryder yelled at him.  "Can't a guy get any privacy?"

The man laughed.  "What did Xavier tell you, that he could help you?"

"Who's that?"  Ham asked.

"Don't play with me!  I know he's here."

Ryder reached down and picked up the baseball bat he keeps under his bed, and held it up.

Suddenly the man slammed against the wall.  Ham saw that the man was being covered in ice.

"Magneto, get away from them!"  Ham and Ryder looked up to see a translucent figure enter the room.

Taking the distraction, Ham pulled Ryder to the window.  "We have to get out of here."

Ham climbed out first and grabbed onto the drainpipe.  He slid down to the ground.  Ryder followed behind him.  Ham led the way, as the two took off across the lawn.  Suddenly there was a popping noise and Kurt appeared with Rogue and Remy.  Ham and Ryder slid to a stop in front of them.

"There's a guy in blue."  Ryder said, half out of breath.

"Magneto."  Ham looked up to see Scott, Jean, Kitty, and Xavier coming toward them.

"Magneto?  That's what the other guy called him."  Ryder pointed out.

"What other guy?"  Scott asked.

Before anyone could answer there was a loud crash.

"My room!"  Ryder exclaimed.

A figure seemed to float toward them.  He landed in front of the group.  "Hamilton, Ryder, are you okay?"

"Finn?"  Ryder asked.

"Bobby?"  Xavier asked, at the same time as Ryder.

"Not now, Xavier!  Magneto's coming and he's after Ryder and Hamilton."

"Why?"  Ham asked.  

"New members for the brotherhood."  Remy said.

"Brotherhood?"  Ham asked.

"The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants."  Rogue filled in.

"Oh."  They both said.

"Both of your powers prevent you from fighting.  So you had better hide."  Scott said.

Ham climbed into a near-by tree, before everyone's eyes he blended into the branches.  Ryder crawled into a ball next to the tree.  When Xavier looked over at him, Ryder appeared to look like a large boulder.  

Magneto slid down the icy slide Finn had made.  "Xavier, I knew you were here."  


	5. Confrontation

Chapter 5: Confrontation

          As the sun was setting Jake came back to their dorm room to find it empty.  She hadn't seen Ham since he ran out of Finn's class that morning.  She was worried; some stupid bug couldn't have been the reason for him to run off like that.  Something was bothering him and had ever since Xavier and his students showed up two days ago.  Jake is worried by what it could be. 

          Suddenly she hears a loud "BANG!"  She ran out of her room and down the hall.  It sounds like it came from Ryder's room.  Ahead of her is a figure; he turns his head toward Ryder's door.

"Finn?"  Jake whispers.

Suddenly Finn's whole body becomes crystal-like.  Jake watches as he shoots a beam of silvery light at someone.  Then Jake hears Finn yell at the other man.

"Magneto?"  Jake whispers, "what kind of name is that?"

"You let them escape!"  The other man growled.

"And why isn't that a good thing?"  Jake heard Finn ask as he shot another beam at the man.  

Jake heard a sound like ice cracking and then it was quiet.  She peered out from where she was hiding.  Suddenly someone grabbed her and covered her mouth.  Whoever grabbed her leaped into Ryder's room and the through the broken window.  Jake turned away just as they flew through the window frame.

          "Magneto, you have no business here!"  Xavier said to the man.

"No business?  Then why are you here?"  Magneto glared at the group.  "Maybe because there are new mutants that you don't want me to know about."

"No," Scott said.  "Kurt wants to go here, so we came to try and enroll him."

Kurt smiled sheepishly.

"Somehow I don't believe that, so how about a little test?"

Toad leaped up with Jake in his arms.  She bit his hand, so he dropped her.

"Eww!"  She spat.  "When was the last time you took a bath?"  She took a step back, when she saw Magneto.  "Finn?  What's going on?"

Magneto tried to grab her.  Before he could reach her, Jake found herself 10 feet in the air on a pillar of ice.

"Oh, my god, Finn!"  Jake sat down.

"Wow, that was an easy test."  Remy said.  He pulled out a hand full of poker cards  "How about another one."  He threw one at Toad, when it exploded Toad went flying.  From wherever Toad landed they heard him say, "I'm outta here."

Magneto growled.

Remy charged another card.

"Another time, Xavier."  Magneto stormed after Toad.

Xavier waited until he was out of earshot.  "Jean, get him down."

Jake found herself floating off the pillar to the ground.

"Whoa," Jake said, when her feet touched the ground.  "Hey, was that rock was there?"

Suddenly the rock changed back into Ryder, and jumped out of the tree.

"Ham?"  Jake ran over and hugged him.

"Are you okay?"  Ham asked, as he pulled away to face her.

"Yeah, I'm okay."  She turned around.  "Finn?"

Finn changed back to his normal form.

"Are you okay?  Jake, Hamilton, Ryder?"

"Yeah, we're good."  Ham replied.

"As good as we can be."  Ryder replied.

"Ham, why didn't you tell me?"  Jake asked.

"I…I couldn't."

"Is this why you ran out of class?"  Finn asked.

"Yeah, I started to changed during class."

"Is that why you're here, Xavier, for them?"  Finn asked.

"Yes, I had no idea that you were here."

"Well, couldn't you have detected me with your machine anyway."

"Finn?"  Jake asked.  "What's going on?"

"Let's get inside first, I don't trust the outdoors after what just happened."

When they were in the TV room, Finn began explaining.

"I was one of Professor Xavier's first students.  He showed me how to use my powers and helped me get through college."  Finn paused for a few minutes.  "After college he wanted me to stay at the school and other mutants.  But I wanted to be among normal people.  We fought about it until the day I left.  I came back to New Rawley and have been teaching ever since."

"I'm sorry about driving you away.  I only wanted you to use your explained to help others."

"It's okay I realized that now.  But now that I'm here, I'm not leaving."

"I don't want to leave either."  Ham added suddenly.

"You know we don't have to talk about that right now."  Xavier said.  "Why don't we all get some sleep and we can discuss this in the morning."

Ham, Ryder, and Jake stayed as Finn and the others left.

"So?"  Jake asked once the others had left.

"I'm sorry, but I was afraid to tell you."  Ham stayed seated.

"Why?  I would have understood."

"Are you sure?"  Ryder butt in.

Jake glared at him.  

Ryder closed the doors and curtains, so no one would see them.  "As freaked out as I was I don't think you will be able to understand.  It's obvious you two are in a relationship any idiot can see it, but I doubt you won't freak out.  We did."

Before Jake could object Ryder closed his eyes and concentrated.  Jake watched him skeptically.  Suddenly huge bat wings sprouted from his back.  Jake's eyes widened and she took a step away from him.

"That's really going to ruin you're love life."  She said smiling.

Ryder opened his eyes.  "That doesn't freak you out?"

"No, but the fact that you think you think we're in a relationship does."  She grinned.

"Why don't you look at Hamilton then?"

Jake turned around, but Hamilton wasn't there.  "Ham?"

"Yeah?"  His voice seemed to come from in front of her, but she couldn't see him.  "Where are you?"

"In the chair in front of you."

She looked, but didn't see him.  "Where?"

"Oh, crap."  The chair rippled and Ham appeared. 

Jake squeaked in reply.  "Munchie?"

"Jake, it's okay, I'm still me."

Unfortunately Jake was seriously freaked out, she backed away until she bumped into Ryder.  "I'm sorry, Ham, he's…I'm sorry."

"Jake?"  He tried to touch her, but she ran to the door.  "Jake?"  Jake opened the door and ran down the hall.  "Jake!  Jacquelyn!"  He called after her, but she didn't stop.

Ryder stepped up to him.  "See?"

Ham slammed to door closed.

"Who's Jacquelyn?"

Ham glared at him

"You mean he is a she?"

"I'm not discussing this now."  Ham sat down on a chair.

Ryder sat in the chair next to him.  "Secret's safe with me."  Ham refused to reply.  "Well, it sure does explain a lot.  Cause you don't act gay."  Ryder looked at him.  "So her name is Jacquelyn?  Why go with Jake, why not Jack."

"Ryder, what the hell do you want?"

"Nothing."  Ryder smiled.

"Then SHUT-UP!"

Ryder kept his mouth closed for about five minutes.  "You're doing the fading thing again."

Ham groaned and popped out of his seat.  He went and laid down on the couch.  


	6. Kidnapped & the Truth

Chapter 5: Kidnapping & the Truth

        The next morning Ham awoke to find himself still on the couch.  Ryder was asleep in the chair next to him.  They weren't alone; Will and Scout were playing chess behind him.  He looked down at his body; somehow it was still there.

'Maybe it was all a very weird dream.'  Ham thought.  But then he saw his legs begin to blend into the couch.  He sat up.

"Look he's up."  Scout said.

"Hey, guys.  What time is it?"

"Eight twenty."  Will said as he glanced down at his watch.

"Why aren't you in class?"

"Finn cancelled."  Will replied.

"Oh, have either of you seen Jake?"

They both shook their heads.

Ryder moaned and yawned.

"Uh-oh.  The beast stirs."  Scout smiled.

"Run."  Will whispered with a smile.

They started laughing.

"I'll see you guys later."  Ham said as he stood up, and walked out.

"What's his problem?"  Will asked.

"Got me.  Check mate."

"Huh, hey, you," Will groaned.  "Cheater."

Ryder stood up and turned toward them

"Sleeping Beauty awakes."  Will said.

Ryder glared at them and then left the room.

Jake is sitting in a tree in the woods between the school and the town.  After she woke up that morning to find Ham not there and first class cancelled; she wandered over to the woods hoping to be alone.  It was only after sitting up there for a 1/2 hour did she realize exactly what scared her about Hamilton's mutation.  She didn't care that he had become a mutant.  When she had turned around last night and not see Hamilton had horrified her.  She thought for a split second that she would never see him again.  That one day he would just disappear entirely and she would never see him again.  She wouldn't be able to handle that.  Suddenly she heard a rustling noise behind her.  Thinking it was a squirrel she ignored it.  She started to climb down, when suddenly something wet and slimy wrapped around her wrist.  She was yanked off the tree and thrown into the arms of a large man.  Jake tried to scream, but the man's large claw-like hand covered her mouth.  In his hand was a rag drenched with chloryphorm.  Jake struggled, but the man was too strong.  After a few minutes Jake lost consciencness.  Her last memory was feeling her body being slung over the man's shoulder.

Ham reached their room to find it empty.  He stood in the middle of the room with the door open; he groaned.

"Hamilton?"

Ham turned to see Finn standing in the doorway behind him.

"Finn?  Have you seen Jake?"

"Um, yes, around eight thirty he was headed for the woods toward New Rawley.  Can I speak to you?"

"In a minute, I have to find Jake."  Ham turned to leave, but Finn stepped in front of him.

"That's actually why I'm here.  Are you hiding something?"

"Finn, I don't have time, I have to find Jake."

"What are you two hiding?"

"What are you?"  Ham pushed Finn into the doorframe and ran out toward the woods.  Finn ran after him.

"Hamilton!"

"No."  Ham answered as he headed into the woods.  Finn kept after him.  Ham was only two yards in when he tripped and fell over something.  Finn caught up to him, to find Ham clutching Jake's motorcycle key.

"Hamilton, what is it?"

"Jake, those, they have Jake."  Ham looked at Finn as a tear trickled down his right cheek.  "They have Jack and it's all my fault."

((Standing a few feet away from them a blue skinned woman was watching from behind a tree.))

Ham clutched the keys tighter as he stood up and ran toward the dorms.

"Finn, where is he?"  Ham asked, knowing that Finn was still following him.

"I think Xavier is in your father's office."

Ham changed direction.

"Hamilton!"

Ham kept running and ignored Finn.  He burst into the back door of his father's secretary's office.

"Hamilton, what's wrong?"  The tall middle-aged woman behind the desk asked.  

"Is dad in?"

"Yes, but he's with someone."

Ham ignored her and burst in. "Dad!"

Finn followed him.  "Hamilton, wait!"

In the dean's office was Ryder, his parents, Xavier, Dean and Mrs. Fleming, and a strong built man.

"Hamilton, it's a good thing you're here."  His father spoke.

What's going on?"  Ham breathed.

"Professor Xavier was just explaining yours and Ryder's situation."

"Situation?" 

The strange man spoke, "you might want to sit down, kid."

"No, thanks."  Ham leaned on his father's desk next to where Ryder was sitting.

"Hamilton, I was just explaining to yours and Ryder's parent who I am."

I'm confused what all of this has to do with Ryder?"  Ryder's father asked.

"I have a school for adolescences who are gifted with the mutation.  There they are safe from the prejudices of the outside world.  I can teach them the develop and control their gifts, while giving them an excellent education."

Both parents seemed confused as to what Xavier was saying.  Ham noticed Finn was talking to Xavier's strange friend. "My son is not a freak."  Ryder's mother burst out.

Ham saw the pain in Ryder's eyes.

"Mum, stop."

"No, Ryder, no one calls my son a freak."

"Mum, he can help me."

Ryder's parents froze, their eyes widened.  Ryder looked to Dean Fleming and then to Xavier.  "I want to go to his school, I think he can help me."

The room became silent.  Ham heard what he thought was an animal sniffing.

"Logan, what is it?"  Xavier asked.

All eyes turned to the man next to Finn.  "That smell, it smells…(he sniffed again) familiar."

The door opened and Dean Fleming's secretary walked in.  Before the woman could open her mouth, Logan grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall.

"Why are you here?"  He demanded.

"What are you doing, that's my secretary."  Dean Fleming started to walk toward Logan.

"No, it's not."  Finn said, who was standing at the door.  He pushed the door open to reveal the real secretary unconscious on the floor.  Xavier was now a few feet from Logan and the imposter.

"Why are you here?"  He asked.

The woman only smiled.  They watched as two metal blades pierced out of Logan's fist, they stopped on either side of her throat.  "Who are you?"

"We want them."  She spoke looking directly at Ham and Ryder.

"Where's Jake?"  Ham asked.

"Your boyfriend is safe.  For now."  She suddenly kicked Logan in the stomach.  As he pulled back in pain, she rushed for the door, but Ryder was quicker.  He slammed the door closed and planted himself in front of it.  "You're not leaving."

The woman's appearance started to change her skin became blue and scaly and her hair shortened and turned red.

"Mystique."  Finn said as he let his body crystallize.   

"Iceman."  She replied.  "We though you were dead."

"Hardly."  Finn said as Ham tackled her.  

He sat on top of her and held her wrists down.  "Where's Jake?"

"Come with me and you can see him."  She kneed him in the crotch.  Ham fell back in pain, but the pain wasn't just in his crotch now it was spreading all across his body.  Ham cried out.  

Mystique took advantage of the situation to push Ryder out of the way and to crash out the doors into a crowd of Rawley boys. 


	7. Stand Up & Fight

Chapter 7: Stand Up & Fight

        Dean Fleming stared down at his son.  Hamilton's hands were the same color blue as that woman Mystique's.  Hamilton was curled up on the floor with his eyes closed tight, screaming in pain.  Ryder kneeled down next to him.    Suddenly a blue light glowed in Hamilton's hands.  A beam of light shoots out of his palms and hits Logan.  The force pins Logan to the wall.  A minute passed before the beam of light retracted and Logan fell to the floor.

"Hamilton?"  Mrs. Fleming's voice trembled.

Ham's soft blue eyes found his mother's face.

"Jake, we have to find Jake."

"You need to rest."

"Mom, we have to find Jake, cause I love him."  With that Ham passed out.

Dean Fleming looked from Hamilton to up to Finn, whose skin was still icy and clear.  "Robert."

"I'm sorry you were never supposed to find o…"

"Robert."  Dean Fleming interrupted.  "It's okay."

Finn's skin changed back to normal.

"Professor?"  Dean Fleming turned to Xavier.  "I've heard rumors of you leading a band of mutants.  If it is true, I want you to find my student and get him back."

"Don't worry, I've already contacted them.  Ryder, I want you to take Hamilton and hide him in one of the dorm rooms, but not yours or his."  Ryder nodded in response.

"Xavier, I want to go with you."  Finn spoke.

"Someone needs to stay with Ryder."

"I'll stay."

Everyone turned to see Rogue standing in the doorway.

"Are you sure?"  Xavier asked.

She nodded her head.

"All right, Rogue, help Ryder.  Bobby, Logan, let's go."

Will and Scout are sitting in their room talking and listening to music, when suddenly there was a knock on the door.  Scout opened it to see Rogue, one of Xavier's students.  "Rogue, what's up?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."  Before he could say anything else, she walked in pushed the book off his bed, and ripped the sheets back.

"What are y…"  Will started exclaim, except Ryder interrupted by coming in and laying ham on the bed.

"Ryder, Ham!  What's going on?"  Scout exclaimed.  Rogue closed the door and locked it.

"He passed out."  Ryder explained, out of breath.  

"So why do you care?"  Will asked.

"Some people are after them, so we needed a place to hide."  Rogue explained.  "Okay?"

"Okay."  Both Will and Scout answered.  

"Hey, what about Jake, where is he?"  Will asked after a minute.  

"They have him."  Rogue answered.

"They?  The people who are after you?"  Scout asked.

Ryder nodded.

"Jake."  Ham whispered after about five minutes.  "Jake."  

"Ham, it's me, Will."

"Will, where's Jake?"  Ham mumbled as he opened his eyes.

"I don't know."

Ham looked from Will, to Scout, to Ryder, to Rogue and then back to Ryder.  "The blue woman, where?"  

"She got away.  Finn, Logan, and Xavier are going to find her."  Ryder told him.

Logan parked the X-Jet in the green.  Bella who had been called by Scout to come over, watched as the large jet parked in the green.  Scout ran over to her.  "What's going on?"

"Ham and Ryder are in trouble, and Jake was kidnapped."  Scout told her.  "Remember Rogue, Kitty, and Kurt?"

"Yeah."  Bella answered.

Scout pointed to the entrance of the jet.  There the X-Men had gathered.  Suddenly Ham burst out onto the lawn with Rogue following close behind.  Scout and Bella ran toward him.  Hamilton reached the jet, before anyone else.

"Hamilton, what are you doing, it's not safe?"  Kitty exclaimed.

"I want to go!"  Ham exclaimed.  "I need to."

"I don't think that's a good idea."  Scout said.

"I love Jake and I need to go.  Jake needs me."  Hamilton argued.

Xavier looked deep into Hamilton's eyes.  "You don't love Jake, it's her you love."  

Hamilton saw Xavier glance at Bella, but then realized that Xavier had read him wrong.

"No, not Bella.  Jake, I love Jake."

Xavier looked confused.

"Jake's a girl."  Ham confessed.  "And I love her."

"Oh, well, ((Xavier exhaled deeply)) let's go."  Hamilton smiled.  "But stay close to Logan, you don't know how to control your powers yet.  Rogue and Gambit, go back and stay with Ryder."  

As Hamilton and the X-Men entered the jet, Rogue and Scout led Bella and Gambit to the dorm.

Jake is tied to a chair in the middle of a dark room.  Suddenly the lights are turned on.  Jake peered around the room to discover that it is actually a large warehouse.  Jake sees a large man, who actually seems part cat.  Jake was way to scared to scream.  Plus in some part of her brain she knew things would get worse for her if they discovered she is a girl.  On her right crouched on a box was the frog-like guy who grabbed her earlier.  On her left was a naked blue and scaly skinned woman sitting on crate.  Next to her was a boy leaning against a support column.  He was about Will's height with brown hair in a sort of mullet like style.

Suddenly the metal chair Jake was chained to floated up towards the ceiling.  She was then flipped upside down.  Jake's stomach started to turn.  She fell toward the ground while still upside down.  She stooped an inch from the ground, then the chair twisted around so she was laid on her back.

"Not one scream.  I applaud you."  Said a deep voice behind Jake.  She looked up to see a man with short grey dressed in all black looking down at her.  "I presume you are Jacob Pratt."

"Who wants to know?"  She spat.  The blue skinned woman stood over her.  With out any warning the woman's face and body changed.  Jake's eyes widened staring back at her was herself.

"Me."  The copy of Jake said in Jake's voice.

"Oh my god.  You're…you're…"

"A mutant!"  The man offered.

Jake looked at him as though he said a dirty word.  "No, I was going to say, me."

The man seemed surprised by her reply.  The woman changed back.  "You're not…"

"Scared, shocked, angry, wanting to kill you."  Jake offered.  "No, well except for the fact that you kidnapped me.  No, I don't despise you for being who you are."

No one moved or spoke.

"Bold words, but he's just hoping we don't kill him."  The cat-man said.

"Yes, yes, I am, but I don't care about things like mutations, genders, or race.  It's who you are that matters.  I admire the fact that you are all willing to walk around in broad daylight."

Again the room was silent.

The old man bent down and cut Jake's ropes.  She stood up slowly and faced them.  The man used his power to throw the chair into a corner.

"I know why you are fighting Xavier, but you two have different views."    

"You do?"

"You're both right.  Some will understand, while many won't."

"But?"

"But you shouldn't go around trying to kill and kidnap people just to prove that you're more superior.  According to evolution you are.  Well, in some ways."

Again no one spoke or moved.


	8. Claws & Spit

Chapter 8: Claws & Spit

          Logan landed the X-Jet in front of a small warehouse on the border of New Rawley and Carson.  Everyone but Xavier got out of the jet.  As they did they broke into groups: Finn, Logan, & Hamilton; Scott & Jean; and Kitty & Kurt.  Scott and Jean backed them up as Logan led them to side entrance.  Logan tried the door, to find it locked.   Finn changed to his icy form and shot an icy stream at the door.  Logan punched it and watched it shatter.  Logan quickly surveyed the room; along the walls were large crates.  Logan turned to Hamilton and told him to stay close to the crates so he would be easily hidden.  They all moved in quietly and stayed among the crates.

"But?"  They heard Magneto say.

Hamilton saw Jake standing inside the circle of villains.  She was facing Magneto.

"But you shouldn't go around trying to kill and kidnap people just to prove…"

Hamilton couldn't understand what was happening.  Logan's claws were out and Jean looked like she was ready to fight.  Hamilton looked down his body was the same as the wooden crates.  He looked up at Logan and tried to sneak away.  Logan retracted his claws, reached down, grabbed Ham by the back of his shirt, and jumped onto a large five-foot tall crate.  

"Hey, metal man, looking for someone?"  Logan cried out, holding Ham up in the air.  

Magneto glared at him.  "Haven't you ever heard of knock?"

Finn raised himself above the crates. "No."

Magneto looked at Jake, she shook her head, "I'm sorry."  Sabertooth reached down and grabbed her.

"No, please, not Ham, no!"

Logan dropped behind the crate as the rest of the X-Men burst forward.  He pushed Ham against the crate, "Stay!"

"Wolverine!  Are you looking for something?"  Sabertooth called out as he tossed Jake to Magneto.  Magneto used his power to catch Jake with a chain and strap her to the ceiling.

"Ham!"  She yelled.

Hamilton watched as Logan fought Sabertooth.  Scott and Jean were battling Magneto.  Finn was fight who Ham thought was Mystique, but he wasn't sure.  The figure was engulfed in flames.  Kurt and Kitty were trying to avoid the brown haired boy, who Ham heard him called himself Avalanche.  Although the one called Toad was nowhere to be seen.  Suddenly a gob of goo hit his chest.  Ham glanced down it was green and looked like mucus.  Ham was really grossed out, but if he moved someone would see him.  Then more landed on his left shoulder.  Before Ham could do anything, Wolverine was slammed against the box where Ham was hiding.  Ham started to fly forward, but Toad's slimy tongue caught Ham's neck and yanked him over the box.  Ham grabbed the tongue, but Toad's grip tightened.  As the pain increased, Ham saw his hands begin to glow.  Ham concentrated and the blue light grew.  It suddenly burst from his hands and up through the tongue to Toad.  Toad cried out and dropped Ham.  He felled directly on top of Sabertooth, knocking him unconscious.  

Logan smiled through his mask.  "You'll make an X-Man yet, kid."

"Ham, look out!"  Jake screamed. 

Ham dropped to the floor as a beam of light flew over his head.  Scott had shot at Avalanche, throwing the kid into a wall.  But Ham had landed on Sabertooth's claw; the pain was making his hands glow again.  Ham stood up and pointed his hands at Magneto.  The blue light burst out and pushed Magneto through the wall of the warehouse.  Meanwhile Kurt and Kitty had gotten Jake down.

Mystique looked around to see herself the only one still standing and ran.  She tripped over Toad, knocking herself unconscious as she hit the floor.  Ham saw Jake standing next to Kurt.  A second later, her arms were around his neck.  She pulled away to discover that the goo on Ham was now also on her.

"Eww, what is this stuff?"

Kurt laughed.  "Toad's spit."

"Ewww!"

Hamilton smile, he put his arm around her shoulder and followed the X-Men out of the warehouse.  "So what were you talking about?"

"Huh?"

"You shouldn't go around trying to kill and kidnap people."

"Oh, I was trying to convince him to let me go.  How well do you think it worked?"

"Don't know I've never been kidnapped before."

"How much did you hear?"

"Just from there and on."

"So how did you make that blue light?" She asked as they got seated on the plane.

"You did it again?"  Xavier asked.

"Yeah, when Toad was strangling me and again when I fell on Sabertooth's claw."  Ham looked down his shirt was torn, but there wasn't a scar or blood or anything.

"Were you in pain?"  Jean asked him.

"Sure, it hurt like hell for a minute.  Then my hands started to glow blue and I shot the light at Magneto."

"Pain."  Xavier said.  "When even you're in pain the energy changes to kinetic and creates the light."

"So if something hurts me physically, my body changes the pain into energy that I can throw back at someone."

Xavier nodded his head.

Hamilton looked at Logan.  "Sorry."

"No prob kid.  It only hurt for a second."

"Logan's mutant ability is to heal at a rapid rate."  Xavier explained.

"Oh, well, I'm still sorry."

"Um, can I ask a question?"  Jake asked.

"Sure."  Xavier answered with a smile.

"If he's Logan, then who's Wolverine?"

Xavier smiled.  "He is.  Jake, Hamilton, let me introduce you to the X-Men.  Cyclops, Jean Grey, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine."

"Iceman."  Finn added.

Xavier smiled.


	9. Leave or Stay

Chapter 9: Leave or Stay

          Mrs. Fleming was waiting on the green when the X-Jet landed.  She hugged Hamilton the second he stepped foot on the ground.  Afterward him, Jake, Kitty, and Kurt heeded to Will and Scout's room.  Kitty grabbed Jake's hand and pulled her through the door, as Kurt popped him and Ham in.  They walked in to find all six in the middle of a poker game.

"I'm out."  Will said.

"Me too." Rogue added.

"Anyone else?"  Ryder asked.

Scout looked at his cards and glanced at Bella, Gambit, and Ryder.  He sighed.  "I'm out, too."

Ryder and Gambit looked at Bella. 

"Either of you two want to fold, go ahead."  Bella said.

Both shook their heads.  They put their cards down.  Ryder and Gambit groaned.

"Again!?"  Ryder exclaimed.

"The girl is good."  Gambit said.

"Yeah, appearances are deceiving, huh?"  Ryder said.

"Got that right."  Gambit answered.  He looked up to see the group behind them.  "They back."

Will and Scout got up and hugged Jake. 

"Wow, I never knew you cared so much."  Jake said over Will's shoulder.

"Of course, we care.  Just not in his way."  Scout said, looking at Ham, who punched his arm in reply.

"You okay?"  Gambit asked Jake.

"Yeah, a little jumpy, but I'm good." 

Gambit then turned to Ham,  "Xavier, wants to talk to you in your dad's office."

"Huh?"  Will asked.

"Professor X can read minds as well as communicate with us in our heads."  Rogue explained.

"Oh."

"So another hand?"  Gambit asked Bella.

"Your on."

Five minutes later, Hamilton opened the door to his father's office.  Ryder's parents were there, along with Hamilton's, Finn, Xavier, and Logan.  Hamilton, Ryder, and Jake walked in and sat down.

"Ryder, Xavier wants to know if you really want to go."  His mother said.

Ryder looked at Xavier and then to his mother.  "Yes, I do."

"We can take you with us when we leave tomorrow."  Xavier said.

"Okay, is there anything else, cause I would like to start packing."

"No, that's all."

Ryder left with his parents in tow.

All eyes turned to Hamilton.

"I'm not sure what I want to do.  But I want to stay with Jake."

"Hamilton, you need to be trained.  With you r powers someone could get hurt."  Jake answered.

"With your permission," Finn said looking at Dean Fleming.  "I could help."

"That would be a good idea."  Xavier said.

Dean Fleming smiled.  "If you're up to it, sure."

Hamilton smiled.  "Thank you."

"But I think we need to talk about you two."  Dean Fleming added.

Xavier and Logan left.

"What you said early before you passed out, is it true?"  Dean Fleming asked Hamilton.

Hamm grabbed Jake's hand.  "Yes, it is."

Jake swallowed.  'This is it,' she thought.

"Mr. Pratt, do you feel the same way?"

She squeezed Ham's hand, "yes, I do."

'This is it, start packing your bags,' she thought.  

"Well, I'm happy my son is in love, but…"

"Excuse me, sir, um, I'm not who you think I am."  Jake knew she couldn't let this go on any longer.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Jacquelyn Pratt."

Dean Fleming's mouth dropped.  The room was silent for five minutes.  

"I've made mistakes in the past, but I love Ham.  And if that means that to be with him I'll be kicked out, fine."

Hamilton stared at her.  "Dad?"

"We cannot let this get out to the press, it could ruin the school's reputation; and your lives.  If you two could keep this a secret this long, then could you keep it a secret for a while longer?  That is until I figure out what to do about this."

Jake nodded her head.

"So she can stay as a he and now we're officially gay?"  Hamilton asked.  "I'll do it."

"Good.  Finn, any objections?" 

"No, just a suggestion."

"What?"

"If Hamilton is going to work with me it might be safer, if he didn't live in the dorms.  He and Jake could stay in the old pool house."

"Pool house?"  Jake asked.

"Five years ago, we tried to build an in-ground pool, but we had plumbing problems and the water kept draining into the lake.  The pool house is that cabin out next to the gym."

"Oh."  He and Jake said.  "Okay."

"It will need to be renovated, so when it's done you two can move in."  Finn said.

"Thank you, dad."

Dean Fleming smiled.  The entire time, Mrs. Fleming hadn't spoken now she hugged Hamilton.  She pulled away and hugged Jake.  As she pulled away, she spoke.  "I don't care if my son is a mutant in love with a girl who dresses as a boy, I will always love you."

"Thanks, mom."  Ham said rolling his eyes.

That night the X-Men and the gang went down to the diner.  Will and Scout were closing that night, so they had the diner to themselves.  Sean who had missed out on the whole adventure was brought up to date.

"So your dad is giving you two your own place?"  Bella asked.

"Yup, we went by today.  It's huge, so we were wondering if Will and Scout might want to join us.  How about it, guys?"  Jake asked.

"I don't know, living with Rawley Academy's first gay couple?"  Scout said, and received a slap to the back of his head by Jake.

"Of course we'll join you."  Will said, we'll just have to buy a roll of duct tape for Scout's mouth."

Kitty giggled.

"That's not funny."  Scout said.

"No, it's hilarious."  Sean said.

Scout got up and started getting everyone's orders; Bella helped him.

She pulled him toward the kitchen.  "I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"About us, well th-there could be an us." 

"An us?"

"My dad isn't your dad.  He went to Rawley, but he dropped out."

"Oh, so we could be together, does Sean know?"

"Yes and I'm still with him.  Maybe sometime in the future."  Bell helped Scout with a tray.

"Dinner is served."  Scout said, handing a plate to Scott. The door opened and in walked Ryder.  "Um, sorry, I'm late.  I was packing."  He said as he took a seat next to Rogue.

"Why?"  Will asked. 

"He's decided to come with us."  Kitty said.

Scout raised an eyebrow at Rogue.  In return, Jake slapped him again.

"Hey."

"You gotta learn to mind your own business."  Kitty said.

"You know we've been trying to teach him that for a while."  Sean said.  "I don't think it's sinking in."

"Ha-ha, Mr. Townie."  Scout retorted.

"So when are you leaving?"  Bella asked changing the subject.

"Tomorrow morning."  Rogue replied.

"Nervous?"  Kitty asked.

"A little."

"You'll be fine, kid."  Logan said.

"Thanks, I think."

"Sure, you don't want to join us?"  Scott asked Hamilton.

"No, thanks.  Maybe I'll come and visit during winter or summer break."

The next morning, Xavier and his students said their good-byes.

"You can come and visit anytime."  Xavier told Hamilton.

"Well, I promised Logan, I'd visit during the break."

"Good, what about you, Bobby?"

"I'll think about it."  Finn replied.

"Good," Xavier followed the others onto the X-Jet.

Finn, Ham, and Jake watched the plane rise above the trees and head south.


	10. Combat Skills & Mutant Powers

Chapter 10: Combat Skills & Mutant Powers

1 month later

Xavier and Ororo watch the activity on the lawn from Xavier's office.

"So what do you think?"  Xavier asked.

"He's stubborn and strong willed, his academic grades are good."

"But?"

"He needs combat skills."

"Do you want to teach him?"

"Actually he takes to Logan more."

"Well, I'll talk to both."

Outside Ryder is playing basketball with Kitty, Rogue, Scott, Kurt, and Logan.  Kurt started cheating by popping around the court.  Ryder waited for Kurt to appear in front of the basket and tackled him.

"Hey, there's no tackling in basketball."  Kurt protested.

"We never said you could use powers either."  Ryder pointed out, smiling.

About an hour later, Ryder found himself in the gym with Logan.    Logan is teaching Ryder self-defense at Xavier's request.

"Have you heard from Hamilton?" Logan asked.

"Ryder tried to punch Logan, but missed.  "Yeah, Finn's having fun teaching him.  Last week Ham disappeared during crew practice.  One minute he's in the boat, the next the oars are rowing themselves."

Logan laughed.

"Did you know Finn when he was here?"  Ryder asked as Logan threw him to the mat.  "Oww."

"Yeah, Booby-Finn was a funny kid."

"How?"

"Well, he liked to play tricks on people.  He would turn the stairs into an icy slide, put ice cubes in your bed, and freeze your feet to the floor.  But he came in handy when the freezer broke."  Logan said as Ryder tried to hit him repeatedly.

Ryder smiled.  "Wow, he seems so different, except he still has a sense of humor."  Ryder knocked Logan's feet out from under him.  Logan fell onto his back.

"Good."  Logan said as he jumped up.  "How are the parentals?"

"Weird, my dad's denying, while mum is researching."

"Classic."

"How did yours react?"  Ryder asked as he ducked under one of Logan's punches.

"Don't remember.  It was a long time ago.  See I can heal myself, then some secret group or government lined my bones with a metal and erased my memory."  

"Bloody Hell!"  Ryder punched Logan's right shoulder.

"Exactly."

Meanwhile Finn and Hamilton are out on the lawn.  Finn decided Ham also needed combat skills.  Finn was teaching Ham karate.

"So you actually went to Japan?"  Ham asked as he following Finn's movements.

"For a month, we were helping some mutants over there."

"Wow.  So what was it like growing up?"

"Tough."  Finn said inhaling deeply.  "My family was from Will's neighborhood.  When I was 16 I accidentally froze and shattered the front door.  I was so freaked that I ran away.  Xavier found me after an incident at a bus station."

"What did you do?"

"I froze the bus, we almost got killed.  Luckily Xavier grabbed me before the mob could."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, but you're in better hands."

"And if I disappear?"

"We just have to be careful not to lose you."  Finn smiled.

"Not funny."  Ham smiled back.

"But Jake's afraid she will."

"She won't, if somehow you fade away completely I'll attach a bell to you."

Ham glared at him.  "Paint might work better."

"Bandages."

"Wouldn't that hurt?"

"Not band-aides, cloth bandages."

"Oh," Ham thought for a minute.  "Wait, like the invisible man?"

"Sure."

"I don't want to think about that."

"Think about what?"

The two looked up to see Jake walking toward them.

"Hamilton wrapped in bandages."  Finn replied as he sat down on the grass.

"Like the mummy?"  Jake asked.

"Invisible man."  Finn said as he lightly touched Ham's shoe.

"You're right, I don't want to think about it."  Jake replied.  "Ready for class?"

"What?"

"Remember, make-up computer lab for the day, I was kidnapped."

"Oh, right."  Ham tried to step toward Jake, but fell on his face.

He rolled over to see Finn laughing.  "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

"I'm so glad Logan warned me about you."  Ham said, as his shoelaces broke apart.  "I hope you have the cash to buy me new laces."

"Come on, invisible boy.  We're going to be late."  Jake said pulling Ham up.  As they walked away Jake turned & winked at Finn.

THE END

Well ladies & gents it's been fun.  I hope you enjoyed, even though nobody reviewed.  L  I'm not bitter.  Buh-bye. 


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